A Northern Territory police officer who was passed over for promotion has taken the extraordinary step of taking his commissioner to court — but his attempt to block the appointment of five successful applicants was dismissed.

Key points:

Senior Sergeant Lee Morgan has taken the NT Police Commissioner to court

He sought an injunction on a current round of transfers and promotions, with the support of the NT police union

The application was dismissed

In Supreme Court today, Senior Sergeant Lee Morgan's lawyers said he had been second-in-line for the promotion, until an internal issue saw him removed from the pool by NT Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw.

Paul McCue, the NT Police Association president, said Senior Sergeant Morgan felt he had been denied his natural justice.

In court, with the "full support" of the police union, Senior Sergeant Morgan's lawyers argued for an injunction to suspend a current round of transfers and promotions "until a question of law has been answered surrounding the process".

But Justice Graham Hiley dismissed the application.

'Governments change their mind all the time'

Senior Sergeant Morgan was added to a pool of candidates by a police panel on September 6 last year.

But by 26 November, he was passed over for the position and his name removed from the pool.

"The likelihood of my client being promoted is therefore reduced because of the (reduced) number of superintendent positions available," Mr Murphy said.

"Governments change their mind all the time. I'm not sure I can attach much weight to that," Justice Hiley replied.

Mr McCue said the case raised questions about the way officers are promoted.

He said the police union supported the action because "our members deserve to know they are in a workforce that is fair and transparent; and where the principles of natural justice are being afforded".

"Our members deserve to know that decisions which directly affect them are evidence-based and in accordance with relevant legislation," he said.

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